Steering apparatus for torpedoes.



F. M. LEAVITT.

STEERING APPARATUS FOR TORPEDOES.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 14, 1915.

1,379,449, Patented Apr. '18, 1916.

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By Attorneys,

LQM W WITNESSES F. M.'LEAVITT.

STEERING APPARATUS FOR TORPEDOES.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-14,1915.

Patented Apr. 18, 1916.

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FRANK M. LEAVIT-T, OF SMITHTOV N, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO E. W. BLISS COMPANY,.

OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF WEST VIRGINIA.

STEERING APPARATUS FOR TOEPEDOES. I

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 318, 1916.

Application filed August 14', 1915. Serial No. 45,488.

To all whom 2'25 may concern Be it known that I, FRANK M. LEAVITT, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Smithtown, in the county of Suffolk and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Steering rippai-atus t'or Torpedoes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to means for steering automobile torpedoes. It combines with the ordinary gyroscopic steering mechanism a steering means supplemental thereto. This supplemental steering means, which is set forth in a companion applicatiomis designed to avoid the precessional disturbance of a gyroscope due to the rotation of the earth. Such steering means comprise a rotating mass or disk mounted flexibly on a revolving shaft of the torpedo and revolving in a plane normal to such shaft. Any swerving of the torpedo deflects the shaft from such normal, and this relative motion is utilized to operate a steering engine to steer the torpedo back so as to restore the shaft to such normal.

According to the present invention the torpedo upon being launched is steered first by the usual gyroscopic steering mechanism, this steering continuing until the torpedo has been steered through its preliminary arc in the case of an angle launch or so-called curved fire, and until it has settled down upon its straight-away course toward the target; thereupon the steering control is transferred from the gyroscopic steering mechanism to the supplemental steering mechanism set forth in my companion application, and the latter thereafter controls the steering of the torpedo for any suitable time, and preferably until the end of the run.

Figure l of the accompanying drawings is a plan partly in horizontal section of the after-part of a torpedo. showing its steering mechanisms in a diagrau'iiiial'ic or somewhat liig. 2 showsthe.prefer-red construction, being a vertical loiigitudinal section taken through the middlcsof the respective mechanisms. Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the line 3-3 in Fig. Fig. l

illustrates part of Fig. 1. showing a modified construction. Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic plan illustrating a curved. or angle fire.

'ltel'crriiig first to Fig. l, A is the shell or hull of the torpedo, B the steering rudder which steers it in a horizontal plane, 0 the turbine or other engine driving the propeller shaft D, and E E are the propellers driven from this shaft, the one directly and the other through reversing gearing (not shown) in the well-known manner. F is the rotating mass or wheel, herein called the disk, which after the initial part of the run is to control the steering. G is any suitable type of steering device herein called the steering engine, and which under control of the disk F operates the rudder B. H is as a whole the ordinary gyroscope, comprising a fiy wheel a, inner ring 6 and outer ring. 0 constituting gimbals, the outer ring being pivotedin a frame (Z fixed in the torpedo. The outer ring has any suitable controlling connection with a steering device or engine G which may as shown he a duplicate of the steering engine G. For simplicity of illustration, the outer ring 0 is shown as carrying a pin directly connected through a link to the valve rod 6 of this engine; but it is to be understood that this is simply illustrative, any of the usual connecting means whereby a gyroscopemay control a steering engine or device being admissible.

The steering engines G and G are both adapted to operate the rudder B. A suitable construction is that-shown, wherein the piston rods 7 f of the respective engines are connected by rods g to the tiller h of the rudder. The engines are shown operated by compressed air in a manner usual with the steering engine or servo-motor of a torpedo, that engine being operative which is supplied with comprcssed air, and the other engine. being inoperative. F r this purpose the compressed air is adiiii ted through a pipe leading to a valve j, from which branches Z Z extend to th valve inlets of the respective steering engines. The valve is shown as an oscillating valve operated by a device J adapted after a predeterniinei'l time to shift "from one position to the other. Initially it admits the airto the gyroscopically controlled engine G and on shifting it cuts oil the air from this, and directs it to This joint affords sufficient friction to spin up the disk after the starting of the engine until it attains the requisite high velocity. In so doing it will assume a plane normal to the axis of the shaft. In case thereafter the swerving of the torpedo were to deflect the shaft from such normal. the disk would continue to rotate in its original plane. and the relative movement would be. utilized to control the steering engine G. To illustrate this control the disk is shown as having an arm Z connected by a link in with an elbow lever 71, and the latter connecting by a rod 777/ with the valve rod of the engine. The connection is such that if for example the torpedo. swerved to starboard. the relative movement operating the steering engine will cause the latter to steer it to port. and thereby bring it back toward its original direction. \Vhen the shaft is thus restored to its normal to the plane of the disk the rudder may be restored to the midships position. since the torpedo has been brough back to its original direction.

.In operation. the gyroscope is spun up in the. usual manner while the torpedo is still in the launching tube, so that the direction given by the aiming of this tube is impressed upon the gyroscope. In case of an angle or curved lire (Fig. 5) this direction is varied by the setting of the angle tire device to the prescribed number of degrees to port or starboard. as is well understood. During the launching of the torpedo. and either before or after it leaves the tube, the air is turned onto the engine which vstarts the propellers, the propelling mechanism rapidly accelerating to the full speed. Upon the first launching of the torpedo, its movements are or may be somewhat erratic, as it is liable to be swerved by the water currents. but since the gyroscopic fly wheel maintains its original direction revolving in a plane parallel to that impressed upon it prior to launching, it is efiective to steer the torpedo upon its intended course. The shifting mechanism J must be so timed as to not shift the control from the gyroscope until the torpedo has thus assumed its ultimate course.

(Fig. 5) the torpedo 6 launched from tube 7 must have steered through the initial are S. and headed on the course 9 for its target T before the control shifted. Thereupon or at any convenient time thereafter the shifting device J operates to throw over the valve 7' and cut off compressed air from the primary steering engine G and direct it into the secondary steering engine (ir. In the case of a curved fire this shift must not take place until the disk F. has had time to adjust itself to the ultimate direction 99 of the axis of its shaft. After such shift occurs the disk F, tending strongly to maintain its plane of rotation, operates the steer- In the case of a curved fire,

ing engine valve upon any departure of the propeller shaft from its normal to that plane. and the steering engine thereupon p1icklystecrs the torpedo back so as to restore the shaft to such normal.

The combination of these two mechanisms has several practical advantages. In the ordinary gyroscopic steering mechanism the fly wheel is spun up before launching. and thereafter is kept in rotation solely through its momentum. so that it gradually slows down. whereby its directive force is impaired toward the latter portion of the run. Also under certain circumstances the axis of the flywheel is subject to anapparent diversion or disturbance by reason of the rotation of the earth. as explained'in my. said companion application. The rotating mass afforded by the disk F. being kept in rotation by the shaft on which it is flexibly mounted. and by reason of the slight frietion in this mounting. does not slow down but maintains its lmdiminished directive force during the entire run of the torpedo: and as any deviation. due to the earth's rotation. is subject to correction at each steering movement, the disk F is not subject to a cumulative precessional disturbance. as in the case of the ordinary gyroscope. It is impracticable to utilize the disk F for con trolling the steering from the instant of launching because this would necessitate spinning up the disk while the torpedo is still in the tube. so as to impress upon it the direction by which the torpedo is to be steered: and as it is undesirable to start the engine and propeller screws until the torpedo is launched. this would require a special spinning motor. Even then the torpedo is liable to be swerved by the water currents. and this might change the plane of rotation of the disk. It is therefore impractical to utilize the disk until all erratic movements of the torpedo after launching are overcome and it has settled down upon its ultimate course. I I i The combination of the two steering mechanisms with a shifting means for throwing over the control from the one to the other at the proper instant affords an ideal utilization of the advantages of both -mechanisms while avoiding the disadvantages of either.

The shitting control mechanlsnr J is not shown in detail in Fig. 1 because any one of l lO ' The deflection of this rod Z relatively to the other parts is availed of to control the valve I of steeringengine G in a manner set forth in detail inmy aforesaid companion application. Brie'fiy stated, as the torpedo swerves to either side the relative movement brings the end of the rod in front of one or the other of two laterally disposed tap pets 7' r (Fig. 3) :which form arms on shafts hung in a reciprocating sliding frame M which moves rapidly to front and rear, being driven through a link .9 from cranks on a transverse shaft thaving a worm wheel turned by a worm t on the shaft K. 'On

the forward motion of the slide M if the deflection has brought either tappet 'r' r in line i with the rod Z, this tappet strikes the rod pedo.

and is pressed back, and this movement is communicated through the shafts and their elbow-lever arms and the connecting link it to the'rod m and valve rod 6, whereby the valve ofthe engine is shifted. When the resultant steering brings the torpedo back to its original directionand somewhat beyond, the opposite effect takes place by the striking of the opposite'tappet against the end of the rod Z. Thus thetorpedo is steered in a sinuous course as with ordinary gyroscopic steering apparatus.

The gyroscopic steering mechanism H requires no special description, being the same as that used-in the Bliss-Leavitt tor- It is shown in its locked position preparatory to launching, abolt 10 engaging the inner ring 3) to hold the gyroscope rigidly during spinning, and a pinion 11 on a spinning shaft 12 being in mesh with a corresponding pinion on the axis of the fly wheel, as usual. The outer gimbal ring 0 carries a disk or turn table 13 having at one side a cam sector 1 1 which receives the impact of pallets 15 on a shaft 16 carried in a reciprocating 'frame17 and having atits upper end an arm '18 adapted to encounter one or other of two tappets 19,from which motion is communicated through levers and links to the valve rod 6' of the steering. engine G. A full illustration and description of this known tappet mechanismv forcontrolling the steering engineaccording to.

the relative movements of the gyroscope will be found in application, Serial No. 25,124, 'filed May 1, 1915.

The shift device J "is of the ratchet and pawl type. The slide M carries a pawl c stitutes a double puppet valve; in its initial position as shown its lower puppet 2O closes the lower'seat communicating with the pipe is, whlle its upper puppet 21 is held away from its upper seat communicating with the pipe 70. Consequently air flows freely through the latter pipe to the primary steering engine. The air prcssureacting on the area of puppet 20 holds this pressed against its seat while that acting on the area-of the valve stem 22 presses'upwardly through this stem against the movable roller 00 and furnishes the gripping pressure by which the slide 3 is embraced. Upon the completion of a predetermined movement according to the proportions of the parts a narrower portion 3 of the slide comes between the rollers whereby the lower roller moves upward under the air pressure, whereupon the upper puppet 21 seats itself, shutting off the air from the primary engine, and the same movement lifts the lower puppet (which has an area less than the stem 22), thereby opening the pipe is and admitting air to the secondary steering engine.

In Fig. 2 the piston rods f f of the respective steering engines are shown as both connected to the one rod 9 leading aft to the tiller.

It will be understood that any known or suitable steering devices may be used, the use of air driven engines not being essential. Also that any known or suitable construction of gyroscopic steering mechanism may be employed, the particular construction shown not being essential to the present invention.

The specific construction of the disk F with its mounting and driving means, and the means for transmitting its control to the secondary steering engine or device, is not essential to the present invention. Various modifications and substitutions of equiva-lents may be made as will be apparent to those skilled in the art. I

Instead of having two separate steering engines it is possible to provide one engine with two controlling valves, as shown in Fig. 1. This figure shows certain of the parts of Fig.1 designated by like letters, those parts not shown being the same as in Fig. 1 The single steering engine G takes the place of the two engines shown in Fig. 1, being controlled by two valve rods 6, e, the latter operated from the gyroscope H by connection with the outer ring a; and the valve 6 being connected as in Fig. 1 to the disk F. At the beginning, the compressed air from i is led through It" to the valve controlled by e; when the shi'fting device J acts the compressed air is diverted through it to the other valve controlled by the rod 6.

The effect is the same as in the construction first described.

The diagram Fig. shows the angle launch or curved fire, the launching tube 7 being directed, for example, 90 from the desired course, and the torpedo being set to steer through a prescribed initial are 8 before reaching its direct course 99 to the target. The gyroscope: controls the steering until after the curved course is completed, the timing device J shifting the control to the. dish F at any suitable time thereafter.

I claim as my mventxonz- 1. In an automobile torpedo, thecombination with steering 'means of primary and secondary conti'ollingineans, such primary means beingadapted to operate upon the launching of the torpedmand such second means being adapted to operate upon the Gopiesot this patent may be obtained; for

launching of thetorpedo, and such second ary means being adapted to operate subsequently, and comprising a disk mounted flexibly on a rotating shaft of the torpedo .with means operated .by a deflection of such shaft from the normal to the, plane of'rotation of the disk for transmitting control to the steering means, and shifting means for transferring the control from the, primary to the secondary means afterthe torpedo has reached its ultimate course.

3. In an automobile torpedo, the combination With'steering means of primary and secondary controlling -means, the primary means being a gyroscope and the secondary means c01npr1smg a disk mounted flexibly on a rotating shaft of, the torpedo with means operated by a deflection of such shaft from the normal to the planeof rotation of the disk for vtransmitting control to the,

steerlng means, andshifting means operat- 1 ing after a. predetermined time, for transferring the control from said gyroscope to said secondary means after the torpedo has reached its ultimate course. v

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, v

FRANK M. LEAVITTP Witnesses:

PETER KRUsE,

CHAs. J. ELLsWoR'rH.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Eaten, Washington, I). O. Y i i 

